This New Year, Go In And Possess Your Possessions in Christ
"See, I HAVE SET THE LAND BEFORE YOU; GO IN AND POSSESS THE LAND which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’" (Deuteronomy 1:8 NKJV, emphasis mine).
"Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “HOW LONG WILL YOU NEGLECT TO GO AND POSSESS THE LAND which the Lord God of your fathers HAS GIVEN YOU?" (Joshua 18:3 NKJV).
Beloved in Christ, the Bible is rich with revelations for a glorious living in this present life. You see, every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God is forever settled or established in Heaven. (see Psalm 119:89). The Lord has said, "My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips." (Psalm 89:34 NKJV). And so we can trust the Word of God. And by believing the Word of God, we can also establish it here on earth. (see Matthew 18:18; Job 22:28). The Word of God is a law. This is why in the Old Testament every Word God spoke to the prophets (and not just the Ten Commandments) was called the Law of God. Even the Ten Commandments were also called “the WORDS of this Covenant” (see Deuteronomy 29:9). Thus, it is no secret that “words” and “law” are often used interchangeably in the Old Testament. In Joshua 1:8, the entire written Word of God is referred to as “BOOK OF THE LAW.” Moreover, when Moses spoke to all Israel on their fortieth year in the wilderness (see Deut. 1:1-4) explaining the WORDS of God to them, the Bible says he was explaining the LAW of God. (see Deut. 1:5). Yet it is obvious from Moses’ speech (see Deut. 1:5-8) that He wasn’t explaining the Ten Commandments nor the ceremonial laws. And so, beloved, whenever you see the “Law of God,” especially in the Old Testament, don’t be quick to interpret it as The Ten Commandments and/or the ceremonial laws, but rather pay attention to the context so that you can rightly divide the Word of truth.
Now, the Bible says, “On this side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THIS LAW, saying, “The Lord our God SPOKE to us in Horeb, saying: ‘You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. SEE, I HAVE SET THE LAND BEFORE YOU; GO IN AND POSSESS THE LAND which the Lord swore to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give to them and their descendants after them.’” (Deuteronomy 1:5-6, 8 NKJV, emphasis mine). Indeed God wanted the Israelites to GO IN AND POSSESS THE LAND which He had set before them. But the children of Israel were hesitant. And God wasn't happy with that. The Bible says, "Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And THE LORD SAID to him: “You are old, advanced in years, AND THERE REMAINS VERY MUCH LAND YET TO BE POSSESSED." (Joshua 13:1 NKJV). The Lord is saying the same thing to us today, especially those of us who have been Christians for so many years and still have not possessed all our possessions. Beloved, YOU HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE in Christ Jesus. (see Ephesians 1:11-12). The Bible says you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (see Ephesians 1:3). The whole world is yours. (see 1 Corinthians 3:21-22). God’s divine power has given to you ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness. (see 2 Peter 1:3). You have eternal life. (see 1 John 5:13). Yet, even though all this inheritance has been given to you and is yours, you have to MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT to go in and POSSESS it. And if you're like the average Christian, there remains very much of your inheritance yet to be possessed. Therefore, it is time to go into the Word of God and possess your inheritance.
At Shiloh, Joshua asked the children of Israel, “HOW LONG WILL YOU NEGLECT TO GO AND POSSESS THE LAND which the Lord God of your fathers HAS GIVEN YOU?" (see Joshua 18:3 NKJV). Today, ask yourself the same question. How long will you neglect to go and possess the inheritance God has given you in Christ? The apostle Paul in exhorting the early believers to go and possess their inheritance in Christ, said, “So now, brethren, I COMMEND YOU to God and TO THE WORD OF HIS GRACE (or the Word of God), which is able to build you up and GIVE YOU AN INHERITANCE among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32 NKJV, brackets and emphasis mine). Yes, the inheritance is already yours if you're in Christ, but it is the Word of God that will give or deliver it into your hands. You have to read and meditate on the Word of God to find out and know all that belongs to you, and then possess them by faith -- believing every promise in your heart and confessing it with your mouth. (see Romans 10:8, 10; 2 Corinthians 4:13). The Bible says of the man who delights in the law (or the Word) of the Lord, and meditates in His law (or His Word) day and night, that he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and WHATEVER HE DOES SHALL PROSPER. (see Psalm 1:2-3 NKJV). As God said to Joshua, “This Book of the Law SHALL NOT DEPART FROM YOUR MOUTH, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN in it. For THEN YOU WILL MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS, and then YOU WILL HAVE GOOD SUCCESS.” (Joshua 1:8 NKJV, emphasis mine). Beloved, your inheritance in Christ includes prosperity and good success in this present life. But you can only possess it when you become a doer of God’s Word. (see James 1:21-25). And you can begin that journey today. For it is God's will for you to prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (see 3 John 1:2).
The apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, admonished him to LAY HOLD on eternal life. He said, "Fight the good fight of faith, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV, emphasis mine). Indeed, you cannot lay hold on something unless that thing already belongs to you. And when it comes to our inheritance in Christ, it already belongs to us -- eternal life already belongs to us. (see 1 John 5:13). Every blessing already belongs to us. (see Ephesians 1:3). Hence, we possess or lay hold of them by (or through) faith. We fight the good fight of faith, believing and confessing every promise or blessing of God regardless of our outer circumstances, until it manifests in the physical realm. Just as the PROMISED LAND was a place of rest for the children of Israel under the Old Covenant, ETERNAL LIFE (which encompasses every blessing that is wrought in the redemptive work of Christ) is our rest in the New Covenant. (see Matthew 11:28, with 1 John 5:13). And the Bible says that “we who have believed do enter that rest.” (see Hebrews 4:3). Indeed, every blessing in Christ belongs to us. The New Covenant is a superior covenant with better promises. (see Hebrews 8:6). And like the Old Covenant, those who follow the terms or keep the words of this covenant will prosper in everything they do. (see Deut. 29:9). It is through faith and patience that we lay hold of all the promises of God. (see Hebrews 6:12). Our father Abraham inherited God's promises through faith and patience. “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” (Romans 4:20-21 NKJV). Indeed, Abraham obeyed or acted on God's Word with perseverance and endurance. And God said to him,"In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, BECAUSE you have OBEYED My voice.” (Genesis 22:18 NKJV).
Let us also ALWAYS obey God's voice (or do His Word). There is great reward in obeying God's voice. And so “we do not want you to become lazy, but to IMITATE THOSE WHO THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE INHERIT WHAT HAS BEEN PROMISED.” (Hebrews 6:12, emphasis mine). Possess all your possessions in Christ through faith and patience. Plant the Word of God in your heart, and act on it, and it will bear fruit in your life. The Word of God is a seed. (see Luke 8:11). And Jesus told us how this seed works to produce fruit in the Kingdom of God or in the life of a believer. He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should SCATTER SEED (the Word) ON THE GROUND (your heart), and SHOULD SLEEP by night AND RISE by day, and THE SEED should SPROUT and GROW, he himself DOES NOT KNOW HOW. For the earth yields crops by itself: FIRST the blade, THEN the head, AFTER THAT THE FULL GRAIN in the head. But when THE GRAIN RIPENS, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the HARVEST HAS COME.” (see Mark 4:26-29 NKJV). And so the revelation here is that you have to scatter the Word (or seed) on the ground (your heart), and then patiently wait for the harvest. Don't entertain doubts in your heart just because you don't see the Seed sprouting yet, or you don't see the fruit yet. The Bible says that you don't know how the seed sprouts and grows, and so don't fret about the process. Just believe that as you sleep at night and rise by day, the seed (or the Word that you have planted) will sprout, grow and bear fruit -- first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. This will be a reality for you as you continue to scatter the Word of God in your heart and patiently wait in faith for the harvest. You will be fruitful or productive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just don’t doubt the Word of God, but believe it, because doubting the Word you have planted (simply because you haven't yet seen the fruit or result) is like digging out a planted seed in the natural; you stop or reverse the growth process when you do that, and so you cannot expect to have any harvest. This is why the Spirit said through James that the man “who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For LET NOT THAT MAN SUPPOSE THAT HE WILL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (see James 1:6-8 NKJV, emphasis mine).
Thus Jesus, making a distinction between the different types of ground (or heart) on which the Word of God is sown, said, "But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who HEAR THE WORD, ACCEPT IT, and BEAR FRUIT: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” (Mark 4:20 NKJV). And so the question is: what kind of ground are you when it comes to the Word of God? How do you receive the Word of God when you read it or hear it preached? The Bible says: "But these are the ones SOWN on GOOD GROUND, those who HEAR THE WORD, ACCEPT IT, and BEAR FRUIT: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” (Mark 4:20 NKJV). May you be among those who HEAR the Word, ACCEPT it, and DO the Word -- who hold on to the Word and act on it, confessing it regardless of the tribulations and persecutions that may arise because of the Word, regardless of how the cares of this world may try to distract or dissuade you. And may you bear fruit a hundredfold.
Jesus also said, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure YOU USE, it will be measured to you; and TO YOU WHO HEAR, MORE WILL BE GIVEN. For whoever HAS, to him MORE WILL BE GIVEN; but whoever DOES NOT HAVE, even WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY from him.” (Mark 4:24-25 NKJV, emphasis mine). Everything I have shared in this post is a revelation from God. The more you hear, accept and use or act on these revelations God has given you, the more revelations God will give you. It's that simple. Begin to act on the revelations from God. Begin to discover what belongs to you in Christ by reading the Word of God and meditating on it. Then, claim every promise or blessing by believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth. Possess or lay hold of your possessions in Christ, starting right now. "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20 NKJV). Hallelujah! Only those who BELIEVE actually receive the promise of God. (see Galatians 3:22). Make this new year your year of victory and new beginnings. Believe and obtain the promises of God. Enjoy your possessions, as you possess them by faith. Amen. Remain blessed. #DontRemainABabeInChrist #BeSpiritual #ShareTheWord #HappyNewYear
